Although I am an environmental
chemist (Ph.D in biochemistry), I have been doing a lot of literature
research on breast cancer since I saw an article on the National Library
of Medicine database over a year ago. That article documented an increase
in breast cancer rates between women who do wear bras versus those that do
not.

That Harvard study fascinated me
and I searched the medical literature for possible explanations. In
January 1996, I discovered the book by Singer and Grismaijer and their
explanation of impaired lymphatic flow intrigued me. I have since read
everything that I can find on lymphatic flow. What I have found has amazed
me, but that is another story. I can supply you with lots of info if you
like. In essence, what Singer and Grismaijer found was that the odds of
getting breast cancer dramatically increased with bra-wearing over 12
hours per day.

Women who wore their bras 24 hours
per day had a 3 out of 4 chance of developing breast cancer (in their
study, n=2056 for the cancer group and n=2674 for the standard group).

Women who wore bras more than 12
hour per day but not to bed had a 1 out of 7 risk.

Women who wore their bras less
than 12 hours per day had a 1 out of 152 risk.

Women who wore bras rarely or
never had a 1 out of 168 chance of getting breast cancer. The overall
difference between 24 hour wearing and not at all was a 125-fold
difference.

The results of this study are
compelling, even considering that it was not a "controlled
study" for other risk factors. Bear in mind that known (published in
medical journals) risk factors for breast cancer are mostly in the range
of less than three-fold differences. It should also be noted that Singer
and Grismaijer surveyed bra-wearing behavior of the past, which is
excellent for a disease with such a long development period. In their
book, the authors show how most of the known risk factors can be related
to bra-wearing behavior and/or the lymphatic system.

For example, breast feeding and
pregnancy cause full development of the mammary lymphatics. Also, women of
higher economic status have higher breast cancer rates, and one would
expect that they would wear their bras more hours per day. Women who
excercise have lower risk, which could relate to better lymphatic
circulation (and I would add, more breast movement).

To this discussion, I would like
to add that lymphatic circulation in many tissues (especially the primary
lymphatics) are highly dependent on MOVEMENT. When you sit for a long time
on an airplane flight, your feet and ankles can swell, because lymphatic
circulation goes to near zero. Wearing a bra, especially a constricting
one with underwires, and especially to bed, prevents normal lymphatic flow
and would likely lead to anoxia (lower than normal oxygen content), which
has been related to fibrosis, which has been linked to increased cancer
risk.

Women evolved under conditions
where there was BREAST MOVEMENT with every step that they took when they
walked or ran. My reading of the scientific literature about lymphatic
flow shows me that this may be as important as the constriction factor.
Every subtle bounce of the breast while moving, walking, running, etc.
gently massages the breast and increases lymphatic flow and thus cleans
the breast of toxins and wastes that arise from cellular metabolism.

Of course, there may be other
mechanisms for the damage that bras apparently cause. One such mechanism
could be temperature. Breasts are external organs and have a naturally
lower temperature. Cancers can be temperature-dependent. Breast cancer is
hormone-dependent. Temperature can alter hormone function. Breast
temperature changes throughout the monthly cycle.

All these facts are from the
medical literature. By whatever mechanism, someone will eventually explain
why Singer and Grismaijer found a 125-fold difference in cancer rates
between bra-free breasts and those constricted by 24-hour-per-day
bra-wearing.

If you haven't already done so, I
suggest that you read the book by Singer and Grismaijer ( Dressed to
Kill,Avery Press, 1995). (By the way, I have no connection to the authors;
I think that they live in Canada.)

Also, just for an interesting
experiment, the next time you walk down the street, notice visually how
constricting bras are. On many women you can actually see
"dents" around the sides of their chests where there bras are,
even in something as opaque as a black t-shirt.

A physical therapist friend of
mine, after reading Dressed to Kill, said that she was amazed at what she
saw in her practice at a local medical clinic. She noticed how many women
have red creases and grooves on the their bodies caused by their bras.
Singer and Grismajer also suggest that you simply stop wearing one for two
weeks and see how you feel.

By the way, I have heard that they
are currently working on a new study. The research is to study whether
benign fibrocystic breast disease can be treated by stopping bra-wearing
for eight weeks. That should be very interesting; this time they are
involving medical doctors, from what I've heard.

Years ago, many people thought
that the idea of cigarettes causing lung cancer was funny. Even if further
research with highly controlled studies only shows a difference of 5-fold,
or even 2-fold, it will be no laughing matter.